


road signs (light up like fireflies)

by jalexic



Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Road Trip, Campfires, Fluff, Hitchhiking, M/M, Strangers to Lovers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-10
Updated: 2015-07-10
Packaged: 2018-04-08 15:33:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,058
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4310712
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jalexic/pseuds/jalexic
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Gavin stands by the side of the road hoping for a ride, he doesn’t expect anyone to actually give him one.</p><p>Or Gavin needs an escape and Ryan needs a friend.</p>
            </blockquote>





	road signs (light up like fireflies)

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: idk how campfires work so sorry if its completely wrong lol  
> fun fact: i listened to the album transatlanticism by death cab for cutie on a continuous loop while writing this, and it’s one if my favourite albums so i highly recommend it!  
> And lastly, i had a lot of fun writing this so i hope you enjoy :)

Gavin stands by the side of the road, the Texas sun beating down on him, the dry wind rustling his hair. He has his arm outstretched, his thumb extended, hoping someone would stop for him. There are more cars than he thought there would be on such an obscure stretch of road, and every time one passes him by, he begins to lose hope in the thought of any one stopping.

Gavin sighs dejectedly as yet another car speeds past, not slowing down in the slightest, and his arm starts to hurt with the strain of being stretched out for so long, but he persists. He needs to get a ride, he needs to get away, he needs an escape from his life. Thoughts of his current lifestyle fill his mind, from his crude and inappropriate boss, to his shit-paying job, to his rundown apartment, to his friends who are slowly but surely drifting further and further away. He has nothing better to do, that’s why he’s standing on the side of the road with nothing but some money and a bag of essentials in the hopes that a stranger would help him.

A few minutes later, just when he’s on the verge of giving up and going home, resigning himself to the fact that his life will always leave him unsatisfied, something amazing happens. A beat up, dirty white pickup truck slows down, the brake lights flashing, and it comes to a stop right in front of Gavin. For a moment he doesn’t believe it, maybe he’s hallucinating or this is just a joke, but then the window rolls down and a man is speaking to him from the driver’s seat.

“Need a ride?” The man’s voice is deep and smooth, somehow soothing even though this is the first time Gavin’s hearing it. Looking in through the passenger-side window, he sees the man has light brown, almost blonde hair, and blue eyes that are staring straight into Gavin’s own. He’s flustered for a second, but he convinces himself it’s because of the shock that someone actually stopped for him and not because this man is really _really_ attractive.

“Uh, yeah. Thanks,” he replies, and the man gestures for him to get in, so he opens the passenger door, the handle warm beneath his fingers. Sliding in, Gavin can’t help but look over at the man, and sees that he is looking right back at him, blue eyes shining with something akin to amusement.

“I’m Ryan, by the way,” he says, and Gavin can’t help but think that the name suits him so well. It takes a few seconds for him to respond, the short silence filled with the soft music playing from the radio.

“Oh, uh, Gavin. My name’s Gavin.” He internally curses himself for stuttering, but he doesn’t feel so bad when the man lets out a chuckle, deep like his voice and like music to Gavin’s ears.

“Nice to meet you,” Ryan says, giving him a friendly smile before he turns his eyes to the road, starting the car and pulling out onto the highway. Gavin looks out the window for a moment to see the barren land pass by, realising for the first time that he’s finally getting away.

“So, Gavin,” Ryan says, reaching over to turn the radio volume down, leaving them in almost complete silence except for the rumble of the wheels on the road. “Where are you heading?”

Gavin takes a moment to think, and Ryan lets him, staying quiet while Gavin mulls it over. Where is he heading? Where does he want to go? He realises that he doesn’t know, he never did, all his plan consisted of was to get away from this place and now that the first hurdle is out of the way, he doesn’t know what to do next. But if he says that to Ryan, then surely he’ll just be kicked out on the side of the road again, and they’re further away from the town now, it’ll be quite a walk back. But he can’t lie either, he can’t hold the truth from someone he just met, he doesn’t want to ruin this relationship before it’s had the potential to begin.

“Honestly,” he starts, and he doesn’t miss the way Ryan glances over for a second, “honestly, I don’t know. I just wanted to get away from this town, so if we pass a city or something you can just drop me off there and I’ll be on my way.” He didn’t mean to sound so sad, he really didn’t, but his voice is so defeated due to the fact that he still doesn’t have a solid plan. Ryan looks at him once again, this time longer, and Gavin keeps his eyes on the road, staring out through the windshield.

Ryan’s voice is soft when he speaks. “There’s a pretty big town a couple hundred miles away, I’m sure you could find a job and someplace to live there,” he speaks slowly, like he’s not done yet, he’s still got more to say, so Gavin stays quiet, waiting patiently just as Ryan had done before. “Or,” he says, a little excitement seeping into his tone, “you could just come with me, if you want.”

Gavin looks over, a little bit in disbelief, but this time it’s Ryan who keeps his eyes on the road, not acknowledging the questioning gaze. “Don’t you have a family or a home to get to?” Gavin asks, maybe a little bit bitterly because maybe he’s a little bit jealous, but Ryan doesn’t let it deter him.

“No, actually. My wife divorced me a couple months back, we never had any kids, and I just got fired from my job a few hours ago. I’ve been driving around ever since.” His voice doesn’t have nearly as much sadness as Gavin would expect from someone speaking those words, in fact Ryan seems like a huge weight has been lifted off his shoulders, albeit one that he didn’t intend for.

“So what’s your plan then?” Gavin ends up asking, and he’s still looking at Ryan, still staring. Ryan lets out a little laugh, not happy, maybe a bit hysterical and just a little breathless.

“Well, my _plan_ ,” he says the word like a curse, like he doesn’t want one, shouldn’t need one, even though he does, “for the moment, is to just drive, keep driving until I can’t anymore. Either my car goes to shit or I go crazy, but one of us is going to break first.” The car is silent yet again, and Gavin is still staring, just a little fearful and full of sympathy, because Ryan sounds so upset, yet so angry and slightly scary at the same time.

“Are you a serial killer?” he can’t help but ask, and it’s then that Ryan lets out a laugh, a real one, genuine joy mixed with just the right amount of wild emotion. Gavin can’t help but join, Ryan’s laugh is just so contagious, and it’s nice for a little bit, like they’re two friends just having an afternoon drive. Soon Ryan recovers enough breath to speak.

“No, Gavin,” he manages to say through his giggles, sparing a reassuring glance in Gavin’s direction, “I’m not a serial killer, I promise I won’t kill you.” He’s grinning, and he just seems so relieved, refreshed, like he needed a good laugh, he needed to let his emotions out. Gavin can’t help but feel accomplished, but he’s still curious.

He looks away from Ryan, eyes returning to the windshield. “Why did you pick me up?” he asks, suddenly quiet yet eager to know. “Like, won’t I just be a burden to you?”

Ryan looks at him then, an authentic smile on his face. “Honestly, I wanted a friend.” It should have sounded pathetic, Gavin should be making fun of Ryan, and he would if it was anyone else, but he couldn’t bring himself to do it, and so he just returns the smile. “And besides,” Ryan continues, his gaze returning to the road, “you’ve been fine so far, but trust me, if you start to be annoying, I’m kicking you to the curb.”

Gavin thinks he’s serious for a second until Ryan starts laughing, once again loud and mixed with exclamations of “I’m kidding! I’m kidding!” Gavin joins him, just like before, and they laugh for a good while, like friends would.

\-----

“So, where are you from?”

They’re sitting in a diner, one of those cliche roadside ones with flickering lights, tiled floors, and a jukebox that looks like it’s straight out of the seventies. Gavin looks up from where he’s sitting on at a bright red booth, Ryan opposite him, both of them eating burgers and sharing a basket of fries.

“Well, I was born in England,” he says, swallowing his food and clearing his throat. “I grew up there, but when I was nineteen my parents died and I came over here to stay with relatives.” He mentions the death of his parents so casually, and even though he might have accepted it all these years later, that doesn’t mean it hurts any less.

Ryan is silent for a little bit, but it doesn’t bother him, because on the drive here he’d come to realise that when Ryan goes quiet, whatever he says next is going to be something worth the wait. “That sucks,” he says, taking a sip of his milkshake straight after, and while it’s not a lot, Gavin finds that it’s filled with genuine emotion, and the simplicity of it is comforting. There’s no pity, no “I’m sorry,” just Ryan and his understanding. Gavin nods, sending him a small smile of appreciation, and they return to eating for a little while.

“What about you?” Gavin asks. “You said you had a wife.”

Ryan licks his lips, and for a second Gavin thinks he’s overstepped a line, but those thoughts are pushed away as soon as Ryan speaks. “Yeah, we got married a little over a year ago, and it was great, it was fun.” He sips his milkshake before he continues. “But then, we just kind of drifted apart, you know? I started working late, she went out a lot more, and then one day I came home to find her in bed with my best friend.”

“Shit,” Gavin mutters, his eyes widening, because that must have _sucked_. Ryan nods, and then they lapse into silence, not uncomfortable but not happy either. Outside, the sun sinks lower and lower in the sky, and Gavin has a feeling that tonight is going to be a starry one. A waitress comes to collect their empty plates, and Ryan orders a coffee, looking at Gavin when the waitress walks away.

Gavin can’t help but let out a small laugh. “God, we both sound so _depressed_ ,” he says, shaking his head. “Isn’t this… this bloody road trip or whatever it is, supposed to be happy and campy and all that? Why are we talking about sad stuff?”

Ryan looks a little shocked, but then he smiles. “You’re right, Gav,” he says, and Gavin feels his heart flutter at the nickname. “Let’s talk about something else, get to know each other. What are your interests?”

Gavin takes a moment to consider the question, but it isn’t long because one thing immediately pops to the front of him mind. “Well, I’m really into slow motion.”

From there, he just can’t seem to stop talking, going on and on about cameras and frames per second and everything there is related to the subject. It’s been so long, too long, since anyone has been actively interested in his hobbies, and for a moment Gavin thinks that Ryan probably doesn’t care, but then he sees those blue eyes looking straight at him, focusing on every word he says, looking happy to be listening, and Gavin is filled with joy. He’s found someone who will actually _listen_ , and every few seconds Ryan will nod or hum to show that he’s actually paying attention, he actually gives a shit even though he probably doesn’t understand half of what Gavin’s saying, but Gavin appreciates it immensely.

By the time Gavin’s done, exhausted from talking for so long, the sun is barely peeking over the horizon, still effortlessly showering the sky in gold. Ryan’s just finishing his coffee, placing the empty cup on the table between them, and then he smiles at Gavin.

“That sounds really cool.” His voice isn’t condescending, he’s not lying, he’s telling the truth and Gavin finds he’s more happy than he’s been in a very long time. They get up to pay, with Ryan taking out his wallet despite Gavin’s protests, assuring him that his previous job, as shitty as it was, was actually well paying and he can handle this. Gavin reluctantly accepts, because he really doesn’t have much money himself, but he makes a promise to pay Ryan back later, somehow. They walk out to the car, getting in on their respective sides, and as they drive away from the diner, under the slowly darkening sky, Gavin feels content.

\-----

A few hours of driving under the night sky later, time that was filled with talking and jokes and would you rather questions, Gavin feels his eyelids getting heavy. He yawns, long and tired, and Ryan glances over from the driver’s seat, but he doesn’t say anything.

“Are we going to stop at a hotel or something?” Gavin asks, his voice laced with oncoming sleep.

He can barely see Ryan biting his lip in the moonlight. “Nah, I think I’m just going to keep driving.” He doesn’t sound tired at all, and Gavin isn’t surprised since he had learned that Ryan was an insomniac, sometimes going days without sleep. “You can lie down in the back seat,” Ryan continues, gesturing behind them with one hand, the other lazily gripping the steering wheel. Gavin nods in agreement, but he doesn’t move for a little bit, simply sitting there and staring out at the road in front of them, lit up by streetlights. It’s empty, there’s no one else out this late, and Gavin’s earlier presumptions were right; there are so many stars since they’re so far from any cities or towns, in the middle of nowhere. It’s peaceful, beautiful, and Gavin is in a state of contentment as he watches the streetlights pass by, the road lit up in a sparkly grey by the car's headlights.

Eventually he moves, climbing over the gearshift and landing clumsily in the back. He finds his bag of clothes back there from where he had tossed it earlier, and he uses it as a makeshift pillow, lying down and closing his eyes. He falls asleep to the sound of Ryan breathing.

\-----

When Gavin wakes, the sun is out, shining brightly through the window, and he simply lies there for a moment, his eyes barely open, relaxing. He glances to the front seat and sees Ryan sitting in the driver’s seat, looking down at his phone. Gavin sits up, and in his sleepy state of mind, it takes him a few seconds to realise the car isn’t moving and they’re stopped at the side of the road. Looking out the window he sees they’re no longer isolated; there’s a line of shops that stretches further than he can see, and there’s a few roads going in and out through the shops, obviously leading into a town of some kind.

“Good morning,” comes a voice from the front seat, and Gavin looks up to see Ryan staring straight at him, smiling slightly.

Gavin returns the smile, saying “Morning,” but Ryan continues to stare, still smiling, and Gavin begins to get self conscious. “What?” he asks suspiciously, “something on my face?”

“Oh, just your three-mile-long nose,” Ryan replies, grinning now, and Gavin lets out an indignant squawk, flipping him off. Ryan laughs, a sound that Gavin is starting to look forward to hearing.

“Let’s go get breakfast,” Ryan says, and then he’s getting out of the car, shutting the door behind him and walking around and towards a small restaurant at the edge of the town. Gavin is still for a second, but then he scrambles to follow him, getting out of the car and jogging slightly to catch up.

“Oi, wait up you bloody mong,” he exclaims, slowing to a walk once he reaches Ryan’s side. Ryan glances over at him, his eyebrows drawn together and an amused smile playing on his lips.

“ _You bloody mong_ ,” he repeats, slowly like he’s trying to understand it, and Gavin looks up at him defiantly.

“Don’t insult my vocabulary, Ryan,” he says, and Ryan rolls his eyes and shakes his head, looking forward once again. As they walk up to the restaurant, Gavin realises for the first time since they met just how much bigger Ryan is than him. He’s almost a head taller, his shoulders are broader, his hands are bigger, his muscles more prominent, yet Gavin doesn’t feel intimidated. Maybe if he ran into Ryan in a dark alley in the middle of the night, he would be scared shitless, but after getting to know him, learning about him even though they haven’t even known each other for a full twenty-four hours, he finds that he’s comfortable, and he feels like he can say that they’re friends. Maybe they’re not incredibly close, but he’s told Ryan more about himself in the span of a few hours than he’s told anyone else in his entire life, and that’s a little scary yet nice at the same time.

They reach the restaurant and sit near the window, ordering their food and waiting. It’s a small place, there aren’t that many people there, but with the sun streaming in through the window it’s nice and warm and Gavin is happy. He and Ryan talk across the table, bathed in the sunlight.

“Would you rather,” Gavin begins, drawing it out as he sees Ryan sigh a little, “use eye drops made of vinegar or toilet paper made from sandpaper?”

Ryan gets a contemplative look on his face, and Gavin giggles, because that’s probably the most fun part of asking Ryan these types of questions; he doesn’t give stupid answers, he actually considers his options and uses logic, usually going into great detail which Gavin finds hilarious. “Well, think about it,” he says, and Gavin prepares himself for the no doubt long and smart answer. “Unless you have really shitty eyesight, and I mean really shitty, then you won’t have to use eye drops that often. I mean, if it’s not that bad, you can get away with using them maybe once a month or something like that-”

“I didn’t know you were an optometrist, Ryan,” Gavin interrupts, just to spite him, and Ryan rolls his eyes.

“Shut up and let me finish,” he says, and he continues over Gavin’s laugh. “But yeah, eye drops aren’t an everyday thing, but toilet paper on the other hand, that’s _way_  more frequent. I mean, sure, you won’t be taking a dump everyday, but you gotta do it pretty often, and I don’t think sandpaper against my asshole would feel too great. I mean, it would drag across the skin and-”

“Oh, Ryan!” Gavin cries out, “that’s bloody disgusting!” He tries not to gag, and Ryan laughs, exclaiming “You asked!” just as their food arrives. The conversation continues to flow as they eat, and Gavin finds that he’s so genuinely comfortable around Ryan, a man who had been a stranger just the day before, and it’s exhilerating. Soon, they finish eating, and Gavin suggests they walk around the town for a while. Ryan agrees, and they set out, sifting through crowds of people as they wander. There’s a lot of market stalls set up, and they browse for a little bit, still talking all the while, with Gavin dragging Ryan along to any remotely interesting thing he sees. At one stall they see a vintage camera, slightly beat up yet still functioning according to the seller, and Gavin’s eyes widen in excitement when he sees it.

“Ryan, look at this!” he cries out animatedly when he sees it, crowding up to the stall for a closer look. He picks it up gently, maneuvering the camera in his hands slowly, inspecting every inch of it with wonder. Gavin’s always loved cameras, and this one is beautiful, even though it doesn’t have any fancy technology. He looks up to see Ryan staring at him, a strange light in his eyes, but Gavin doesn’t register it, too excited. “Isn’t it gorgeous, Ryan?” he asks, grinning widely.

Ryan smiles back at him. “Yeah, Gav, it’s pretty cool,” he replies, and even though he’s not really into it, he can admire the camera’s beauty. “You going to buy it?”

Gavin looks down at the price tag on the camera and immediately shakes his head, looking disappointed as he places it back down. “Nah, too expensive,” he says dismissively, like it’s not a big deal, and maybe it’s not, because really, it’s just a camera. But Ryan can sense the sadness in his voice, in the way his shoulders are a little slumped, and it upsets him more than he thought it would. Gavin walks off then, a little dejectedly, and Ryan watches him go.

\-----

After about an hour of browsing the stores, Ryan and Gavin return to the pickup truck, carrying a few bags. Gavin has pushed the disappointment about not getting the camera to the back of his mind, and is rather focusing his attention on his other purchases, including a carved wooden tiger figurine and a stuffed cat plushie.

“Isn’t it just adorable, Ryan,” he coos, holding the toy up for Ryan to see better.

Ryan nods, smiling a little. “It sure is, Gavin.” He had bought a simple leather bracelet and other random knick-knacks that would serve no purpose other than memories, and he was fine with that. They toss their bags in the back seat of the pickup truck and then get in, setting out on the road once again. It’s really sunny, bright and warm, and Gavin can feel the daylight beaming on his skin through the windshield.

They drive away from the small town, up the highway and passing the occasional road sign and gas station. It isn’t until the town is no more than a dot in the distance that Gavin asks “Where are we going now?” They didn’t really have a plan, never really did, he and Ryan were just two guys who needed a break and their only solid means to get one was in this car, driving for as long as they could. It’s like a road trip, like a little adventure, except they’re two complete strangers who have no idea what they’re doing. Although they’re not really strangers anymore. Gavin doesn’t know what will happen when the trip is over, either the car breaks down, Ryan gets tired of him, or they simply reach the end of the road. They might even both pull themselves together, set their goals straight, and start fresh and separate lives, never to see each other again. Gavin doesn’t really want to think about it, instead choosing to enjoy the trip while it lasts.

Out of the corner of his eye he can see Ryan shrugging. “Dunno,” he says, “thought we would just keep driving until we see something interesting. That sound okay?” He looks over for a second, and Gavin realises that he actually cares about his opinion, like if Gavin said he wanted to go to a certain place, Ryan would take him there. If he said he wanted to get dropped off somewhere and go off by himself, Ryan would let him.

Gavin nods. “Yeah, solid plan, Rye Bread.” He doesn’t know where the nickname comes from, and doesn’t miss the way Ryan raises his eyebrows in amusement, but he finds that it’s just a sign of them getting closer, and he likes it.

They drive for a while, the sun steadily rising, and even though there’s not much to do, it’s never boring. They talk for the most part, sometimes listening to the radio in silence, sometimes playing games, and it’s always entertaining. Throughout it all Gavin feels like he’s been friends with Ryan for years, and not barely a day. Soon they decide to play twenty questions.

“What is the weirdest job you’ve ever had?” Gavin asks, twirling the tiger figurine around in his fingers, looking over at Ryan.

Ryan purses his lips and seems to be thinking for a moment, and Gavin lets him, anticipating what is to come. “Well, I don’t know if I’d call it _weird_ ,” he says slowly, “but when I was younger I was a male model.”

Gavin is silent for a fraction of a second before he bursts out laughing, dropping the tiger on his lap as he squawks in amusement, his eyes crinkling. “You what?” he manages to gasp out, tears in his eyes. “ _You_ were a _male model_?” He can’t believe it at first, thinks that Ryan is fucking with him, but as he looks over and takes in Ryan’s charming smirk, his toned arms, his bright eyes, he thinks that maybe it’s not that unbelievable at all.

Ryan laughs as well, softer than Gavin. “Why is that so hard to believe?” he asks, mirth in his tone as he glances over. “I mean, I’m sexy as fuck.”

That does it for Gavin, and he’s gone once again, lost in the throes of laughter, although he can’t really deny it. He would never say it out loud, or at least not yet, but he does find Ryan attractive, more than he wants to. When he calms down enough, his chest hurting and his face flushed, he gives Ryan a smile.

“Sorry,” he manages to say through his giggles, still trying to catch his breath. “But I just think that’s hilarious. Although, it’s not that hard to see you as a model.”

Ryan glances over, his eyes shining. “Oh really? So you admit that I’m sexy?”

Gavin laughs a little more, his face warm. “Yeah, sure thing, Ryan. You’re sexy.” He’s grinning wide, still amused, but there’s something not joking in his tone, and he has a feeling that Ryan noticed.

\-----

A while later, after they’re done with twenty questions, Ryan sees something in the distance that makes him smile. He looks at Gavin, who's busy looking out his window and hasn’t noticed yet, and his smile gets wider. “Hey Gav,” he says, catching Gavin’s attention. “Wanna go to the fair?”

Gavin frowns, confused, his eyebrows drawing together in a way that shouldn’t be as adorable as it is. “What fair?” he asks, staring at Ryan questioningly.

“That one, right there.” Ryan takes one hand off the steering wheel to point a little further up the road where there’s a bunch of cars in a parking lot, a crowd of people walking towards a large field that is littered with rides. Gavin’s eyes widen when he sees it.

“Oh, yes! Yes, Ryan, let’s go!” he exclaims excitedly, his eyes lit up, a grin on his face. Ryan chuckles and slows the car down, pulling into the parking lot and coming to a stop. Gavin jumps out of the car immediately, leaning down through the open door to yell “Hurry up, you mong!” before he’s closing the door and skipping off. Ryan stares at him for a moment, a smile on his face, before he shakes himself out of it and steps out of the car, locking it and heading towards the entrance of the fair. Gavin is waiting for him, tapping his foot impatiently, and Ryan walks a little slower just to piss him off.

“Finally!” Gavin cries out when Ryan catches up, and then they’re off, walking through the fair together. There are a good amount of people, and a ton of rides, classic ones ranging from bumper cars to the ferris wheel. Gavin stares at every single one in a state of childlike awe, his eyes sparkling in the lights, and Ryan can’t help but look down at him, just a little bit mesmerised. They’re walking close, shoulder to shoulder, closer than either expected but the proximity is appreciated.

“What do you want to do first?” Ryan asks, glancing around at the array of rides and games, and Gavin does the same, following his gaze and observing their options.

“Well,” he says slowly, still thinking and trying to make a decision. “Let’s play some games! How about the ring toss?”

Ryan rolls his eyes. “You know that’s rigged, right? It’s like, impossible to win.” But even as he says it, he steers Gavin in the direction of the game, going along with what he wants.

Gavin giggles a little. “It’s not impossible, Ryan. Maybe the odds are bad, but I reckon you could do it.” He blushes a little after he finishes speaking, looking down at the ground, seeming a little embarrassed.

Ryan can’t help but smile at the compliment. “Thanks for having confidence in me, Gavin,” he says, and just like that, Gavin’s looking up and smiling again, cheeks still a little flushed but neither of them mention it. When they approach the ring toss, Ryan takes the rings, getting ready to throw them onto the bottles.

“Come on, Ryan,” Gavin encourages from his side, and it’s more effective than Ryan thought it would be. He throws the first ring, not really having much hope, and is incredibly shocked when it lands on the bottle. Gavin squawks loudly beside him, a sound Ryan has become used to recently, and he lets out a little breathless laugh. He throws the second ring, and maybe it’s because of all those dark afternoons spent playing darts in cheap bars, but this one also lands on the bottle, and Gavin jumps up in the air, squealing.

“Ryan, this is the last one, you can do it!” he exclaims, and when Ryan poises to throw, he bites his lip, concentrating. He never thought he’d be so determined to win a stupid party game, and maybe it’s because of Gavin, but when Ryan aims and throws the last ring, it lands straight on the bottle, making a clinking noise that is drowned out by Gavin’s yell.

“Oh, Ryan, that was amazing!” he cries out, and before he knows what he’s doing, Gavin steps forward and wraps his arms around Ryan’s waist, hugging him from the side. Ryan tenses for a moment before he settles his arms around Gavin’s shoulders, resting his chin in Gavin’s hair, and for a few comfortable seconds they stay like that, content. Suddenly Gavin steps back, thinking that it was inappropriate and Ryan would think he was weird.

“Im sorry-” he starts to say, but then Ryan reaches forward and ruffles his hair, the touch calming him instantly.

“Which prize do you want?” is all Ryan asks, and then they’re back to normal, all possible awkwardness dismissed immediately. Gavin’s thankful, not just for the cow plushie Ryan gives him but also for just Ryan himself.

“Aw, it’s adorable,” he says appreciatively, holding the toy close to his chest. “What should I name it?”

Ryan looks down at Gavin hugging the toy, seeming to contemplate the question for a few seconds. “Edgar,” he finally says, and when Gavin frowns he elaborates. “Edgar’s a cow name, okay?”

Gavin still looks skeptical, but he nods nonetheless, smiling a little as it grows on him already. “Alright. Edgar it is then.”

They spend a good amount of time at the fair, playing various games together and going on rides, eating food whenever they have the chance. Ryan’s favourite game is the bumper cars, due to the fact that he managed to trap Gavin in a corner and ram into him repeatedly. Gavin had squawked like crazy, but with Ryan laughing so carelessly he couldn’t bring himself to be mad. Gavin had enjoyed the darts, not because he was particularly good at it, but mainly because Ryan looked like he was in his element, throwing every dart with extreme precision, and it was fun to watch his eyes light up every time he hit the target dead on.

“Let’s go on the ferris wheel,” Gavin says after they’ve explored almost all of the fair ground, and there are less people now, the crowds having thinned out. They’ve spent more time there than they realised, with the day looming on the edge of late afternoon.

Ryan agrees, and they walk up to the ride, getting on a cart together. Gavin is still holding Edgar in his arms, and Ryan thinks it’s adorable, although he wouldn’t say it. Gavin practically ripples with excitement as the ride starts, smiling as they ascend, although Ryan can see that he’s tired, a little less bouncy than he had been before. They steadily get higher, and it gets colder and windier the further up they go. Gavin, in his flimsy T-shirt, starts to shiver after a while. He tries to suppress it, but soon enough he can’t anymore, it’s just too cold, the goosebumps on his arms prominent. Suddenly, he feels something warm on his shoulders, and he looks to see the jacket that Ryan had been wearing now draped over him. He wants to give it back, but Ryan’s jacket is just so warm and it smells like him, so he accepts with a grateful smile.

Eventually they reach the top of the ferris wheel, and the view is truly breathtaking. Gavin can see the moon starting to rise in the distance, the beautiful gold sky above them, and the bright lights of the fair below, the people moving around like ants. They can’t hear anything else this far up, and Gavin can’t stop himself when he turns to look at Ryan, sitting right next to him, practically pressed up against his side. Ryan gazes steadily back at him, and they’re close, really close, close enough that their breaths are mingling and if Gavin leans forward _just a little more_ -

Before he can do anything, their cart jerks forward, and Gavin leans into the movement, looking away from Ryan in the process, like he’s been brought back to reality. He’s blushing like crazy, the tips of his ears tinted red, but what he doesn't see, is Ryan blushing just as much.

\-----

"Are we going to stay at a hotel tonight?" Gavin asks as they walk out of the fair, away from the flashing lights and music and back to the pickup truck.

Ryan shakes his head. "No, I've got something else planned," he replies, and although Gavin casts him a curious glance, he doesn’t question it, deciding to just go along with whatever Ryan has in mind. When they're sitting in the car, side by side, a situation that has become so familiar to the both of them lately, they don't fall into their usual routine of casual conversation. Gavin stays silent, staring out of his window and adamantly ignoring the looks that Ryan is giving him. He tries to tell himself he's just tired, but really he's just embarrassed about what had happened on the ferris wheel.

And come to think of it, what _had_  happened? Their faces had been so close, their lips almost touching, and Gavin had leaned in, but he wasn't completely certain that Ryan had done the same. Maybe Ryan was relieved that the ride had started moving again, halting Gavin in his attempt at a kiss, but Gavin surely wasn't. Just when he was beginning to think that Ryan was mad at him, as hard to believe as that would be, the man himself speaks up.

"How do you feel about a campfire?" It's so random, so out of the blue, and so far from what he was expecting that Gavin can’t help but let out a laugh.

"A campfire?" he repeats, a little confused at the prospect.

Ryan seems to take it as a challenge. "Yes, a campfire. Don't you have those back in England?" Gavin just laughs a little more, so he continues. "There's this place I know, my wife and I went there once."

Gavin stiffens a little at the implication. They're going somewhere that Ryan used to take his wife, and now he's taking _Gavin_. It’s a little weird to think about, but Gavin doesn’t let himself dwell on it, forcing a reply. "Yeah, that sounds top."

Ryan shakes his head a little at Gavin’s expression, even though he's used to his weird and sometimes made up words, that doesn’t make them any less entertaining. They lapse into another silence, although this one is more comfortable, and Ryan returns his eyes to the road.

\-----

It turns out that Ryan’s campfire spot is a small park off the road, surrounded by trees and dotted with benches here and there. Ryan parks on the grass, and by now the sun is almost fully set, pale moonlight shining down on them as they get out of the car. When Gavin steps out, he stretches his arms above his head, reminding Ryan of a cat waking from a nap. When he catches himself staring, Ryan looks away, turning his eyes to the car and it’s then that he remembers something important.

"Um, Gavin, come here for a sec," he says, reaching over to open the back door of the pickup truck and pulling out a bag. Gavin glances over, immediately taking note of Ryan’s suddenly nervous voice, the way he's looking down. Gavin walks around the car and stands next to him, and when Ryan turns to face him, he sees the bag in his hands, and he’s beyond confused.

"I, uh," Ryan stops to clear his throat. "I got something for you." Gavin takes the bag when Ryan offers it to him, and when he looks inside, his eyes widen. It's the camera, the vintage one from the market, and Gavin is more touched than he thought he would be. It's just a camera, really, but the fact that Ryan got it for him after seeing how much he wanted it, that's special. He stares at it for a few moments, just appreciating the fact that Ryan would do this for him. He finally looks up at Ryan, sees his still anxious eyes, and he really can't help it when he pulls him close in a hug, burying his face in the other man's shoulder. Ryan hugs him back, and it’s similar to the hug back at the fair, except this one feels like it really means something.

After a while, they part, and Gavin's smiling wide. "Thank you, Ryan," he says softly, and he really means it. Because even if he and Ryan go separate ways after this, he’s at least got all of these memories, and maybe that's enough.

"You're welcome," Ryan replies, and then he’s walking past Gavin, grabbing some things from the truck bed before heading to the park. Gavin watches him go for a moment before he returns the camera to the back seat, setting it down softly and then following in Ryan's footsteps.

Ryan sits down on the grass in the middle of the park, and Gavin settles down next to him, close but not too close. Ryan takes the supplies that he got from the truck, spreading a circle of dry kindling in front of them. He then takes two sticks and offers them to Gavin.

"You wanna try lighting the fire?" he asks, and Gavin agrees even though he’s never done this before and will probably fail horribly. As predicted, his attempt at lighting the fire only ended with him rubbing the sticks together vigorously and Ryan laughing at him.

"You're terrible at this!" he exclaims, wiping his eyes as Gavin squawks.

"It's really hard, Ryan!" he yells back indignantly, and then throws the sticks at Ryan's chest. "Why don't you try and do better."

Ryan, still chuckling, says "Okay" and picks up the sticks. Within a few minutes he's got the beginnings of a fire, gentle orange flames that are sure to be blazing soon.

Gavin looks at him with wide eyes. "How the bloody hell did you do that?" he cries out. "You cheated!"

Ryan just laughs once again. "I learnt from boy scouts," he explains, still smiling, and Gavin starts to as well.

"You were a boy scout and a male model. Bloody American dream, aren't ya?" he teases, a bit impressed if he’s honest, and Ryan just grins.

"You know it," he replies, and in the flickering light of the steadily growing fire he looks nice, the blue in his eyes more prominent and his cheekbones framed by shadows. It goes quiet then, the only sound coming from the crackling of the flames and the buzzing of fireflies lighting up above them, and the sun is long gone by now, the stars spread across the sky.

"Ryan," Gavin says softly, after a few minutes of silence, staring into the fire so hard his eyes hurt. "What's going to happen after this?"

Ryan doesn’t speak straight away, and Gavin feels the need to elaborate. "I mean, when there's no more places to drive around to, when your car breaks down, or when we just get bored. What happens when it ends?"

Ryan is still silent, but Gavin senses that he's thinking about what he’s going to say next, so he lets him.

"Why does it have to end?" he finally asks, and Gavin looks at him, the flames still dancing in his eyes and blurring his vision. "I know that we can't drive around forever, no matter how much I want to. But, we can still stay together, right?"

Gavin doesn’t know what he means by _together_ , whether he means friends or something more. But he finds that what he said is true; even if the trip ends, the journey will never be over.

"Yeah," he says, gentle as he looks into Ryan’s eyes, smiling slightly. "Yeah, that sounds good." Ryan reaches out, caressing his cheek lightly, a gesture that Gavin thinks he could get used to, and he finds himself looking forward to what the future will bring.


End file.
